Apparatus for inflating and deflating an expansible plug by means of a liquid content



June 12, 1945. E; 'r. AHERN 2,378,367

APPARATUS FOR INFLATING AND DEFLATING AN EXPANS'IBLE i PLUG BY MEANS OF A LIQUID CONTENT Filed Aug. 25, 1942 Jlr zz/en far by w p7 24m.

with a-coupling member 6;.

Patented June 12, 1945 Y 2,378,367 j I Y .L APPARATUS, F'oRv INFLATING' AND DEFLAT- -INGt. EXPANSIBLE PLUG A LIQUID: CONTENT.

deceased BY MEANS' -QF' 1 1 Edward Ahern, New HavenQfQonm; IIrenefD," Ahemiadministratrix of said Edward '1; Ahern,

Application August 25, 1942,, swarm.- 456 020 3elaims. (or. 138%93) This invention relates. tomeans for. inflating and deflating an expansible plug within a laterally walled enclosure by means of a liquid content.

' The objects of the inventionare to provide, in connection with an expansible receptacle or plug, an inflation means employing a, nearly incompressible liquid content; to provide such a receptacle or plug with a pipe connection havinga fluid way normally open to the atmosphere; and to provide for such apparatus .a reversibly connectibl'e tubular member having a fluid way in one direction only andada'ptedforan alternate connection to the apparatus with its, fluid way opentoward' the receptacle or plug, or with its I fluid: way open in the opposite direction to exhaust' the liquidcont'ent. of the receptacle.

jWith reference to thea'ccompanying drawing,

the Figure I is an upright view of the device, illustrating the two parts) therleoflof which one! part is shown in relative position for interconnection for an inflating operation; and the Figure 2. is an upright view of one part of the two-part. de-

vice with a fragmentary portion of the. other part inrelative position therewith. for an inter.- connection'for a defiatingoperation.

Referring more particularly to the accompanyingvdhawing, the apparatus for inflating and de- 'ii'atingan expansible receptacle or plug, by means o f'a liquid content,[c'omprises a cylindrical can; tainer' r reservoir T open'a'ble at both ends IA and" IB" of which the end [B is interiorly communi'cated withthe interior'of an elongated tubularmember thaving' an end 2A connected there'- to'; the opposite end IA of the container I being provided a one-way'valve 3 which opens a fluid way-tromthe container I in an upward direction to-the; atmosphere. A sidewall of the containerl is provided witha perforation 4 communicating-J with the interior of 1a second tubular member 5- which is secured thereto, the opposite extremity of the tubular member 5' being provided The tubular member 2 isv permanently closed at its free end 213, but

is provided within its side wallwith a perforai don 20' adjacent its free extremity 2B. A receptacle or'p'lug 1 havingan open end TA, and being of an expansible or" inexp'ansible material, is drawn oversaidfre e extremity 2B, the said open end TA beingsecurely bound around the free ex; t

tremity 23 so as to enclose. within. the'rece'ptacle .1 said freeuextremityzB and:itsvwall: perforation 2C. A compressible" hollow bulb 8% of V which both ends 8A and 8B are open hasea'ch openinglprovided with atone-way valve, 9' and, H1 respectivelfi, which together provide a;- fiuid: way through the bulb a in one and: the same direction; .Each

- ofisaicl openingsgat 3A; andsilB; thusrprovidied with the valve- 9 and 'Hli'fcommunicates with. the. interior of portions Illa-and |.2:.of the tubular. memher having permanent connection: with ,therbulb B and: to the free .end of each: tubular: member portion H and I2 is-provideda coupling member F13 and fi respectiveiy, eachccouplingmember I53 and Mt being adapted-for an alternate connection. with 'thencoupling; member 6 of the tubular member 55' of. the container I;.' The outlet 3A of the one-way-valve Si is exteriorly threaded, as at. 3B, and a cap .3TC, provided-with an internal thread is adapted" to be screwed downf over-the outlet 3A whenever desired. r

In operation, when it isdesired to inflate the i.

' plug 1 with a liquid content If6,.the bulb 8 section of the apparatus is connected to the other section by means-10f the couplings. 6 and 3,vand the freecoupling M end isdeposited within a source of liquid supply; With: each. manual pressure-t0 collapselthe: bulbwB', and therebycause a partial vacuum therein, a thumb: of the other' hand of theoperator: is; simultaneously placed over the outlet 3A of the valve 3 to prevent the escape of air or water therefrom during such intervals of pressure.. Due to the: resilient rebound of the construction of-the; bulb 8' it reacts, uponthe release of. manual. pressure, to automatically return toits normal rounded contour, but can do so only-as the partial vacuum or suction draws therein a liquid (preferably'water) content from the source of supply; for the valve 9 is then closed whilethe' valve In alone is opento permit a flow The law. .of gravity, together of course, the strength of the material of which the plug I is made.

For the deflating operation of the apparatus, the bulb 8 section is reversed relative to the container I, by disconnecting the couplings 8 and I3 and connecting the couplings I4 and 6. In this reversed position of the bulb 8 section relative to the container I manual pressure upon the bulb 8 will permit escape of air within the bulb 8, by way of the valve 9, through the tubular member I I and out at the idle coupling member I3, but by force of suction, upon the release of manual pressure on the bulb 8, the valve I will open to permit the flow of water content from the plug 1 into the bulb 8; Each of the subsequent applications of pressure upon the bulb 8 will cause a closed valve III and an open valve 9 to permit the water content of each filling of the bulb 8 to flow through the tubular member II and out at the idle coupling member I3.

It is to be noted, when operating the apparatus as an inflater, that, while the thumb of the operator is not resting upon the outlet 3A of the valve 3 and no pressure is being applied to the bulb 8, the valve 3 i openable to the atmosphere by means of pressure from within thereby giving the opportunity for any air, admitted within the tube 2 or plug 1 at the time of the initial manual pressure upon the bulb 8, to escape therethrough. Air in plug 1 may rise within tube 2 through the perforation 4A, provided in the side wall or the upper portion of the plug-covered lower portion of the tubular member 2, as the water content fills up the plug 1. But when undue pressure against opposite sides of the plug 1 is had, by reason of over filling and contact with the side walls of its enclosure, such water content thereby l will be forced up through the tubular member 2 and out at the outlet 3A of the valve 3. When this happens, it constitutes a signal to the operator to discontinue the inflating operation.

But when the receptacle or plug 1 is made of inexpansible material, or of a thick expansible material, the inflation thereof is accomplished as has been described, with the exception that the repeated manual pressure upon the bulb 8 is made until the water is forced out at the outlet 3A of the one-way valve 3. Then the cap may be placed over the outlet 3A and screwed down thereon, and the manual pressure upon the bulb 8 continued for a few times to positively inflate the plug I to a firm plugging degree.

The advantages of inflating a plug by means of a liquid content, rather than by air or gas, are many. Not among the least is that of a liquid expanded plug being adapted to be left with a fluid way open to the atmosphere, the plug thus expanded being self-retaining. The weight of a partially expanded plug, having a liquid content, may greatly facilitate the placing of the plug in a desired location withing a laterally walled enclosure before final expansion to a plugging degree. And further, a plug expanded by means of a liquid content is bound to provide a more solid plugging contact adapted to support the weight of any cleaning solution that may be inserted within the laterally walled enclosure above the plugged location.

With a plug inflated by means of a liquid content as compared with the same plug inflated by means of air or gas:

A lesser pound pressure is required with a liquid content;

A greater thickness of plug material may be safely employed with a liquid content;

During an inflating operation, if an excess water pressure were placed on the inflated plug at a plugging location, which excess pressure could occur only if the cap 3C were screwed down upon the outlet 3A of the valve 3, the only resultant damage would be the bursting of the plug and possibly the loss of cleaning solution which would pass ofi below;

If, however, excess air pressure had been used in the inflating of the plug, and cleansing solution had been placed over the plugged location, and the pilug had burst by reason of excess pressure of air, or because punctured in any way, the resultant effect might prove serious as the suddenly released air might force upwardly any cleaning solution, that may have been supported bythe plug, into the face of the operator, as well as spattering walls and ceiling. I claim:

1. An apparatus for inflating and deflating an inflatable plug within a conduit by means of a water content, the apparatus comprising a twomember device of which the main member is an elongated tube having at one extremity a coupling means; a bag connected to the opposite extremity of said tube for insertion within the conduit to be plugged; a bodily reversible tube constituting the second member; coupling means with which the reversible member is provided at both ends; means positioned intermediately within the reversible member to establish, upon the connection of one of its coupling means with the coupling means of the main member, a one-way fluid passage through the connected apparatus to and within said bag and, upon the bodily reversal of the reversible member and connection of its opposite coupling means with that of the main member, a oneway fluid passage through the connected apparatus from said bag; and means adapted to force a flow of water therethrough, the idle extremity of the second member being associated with a water supply.

2. An apparatus for inflating and deflating an inflatable plug within a conduit by means of a water content, the apparatus comprising in combination a fitting having run openings in axial alignment and also a branch opening therein; a one-way valve openable to the atmosphere upon pressure from within and provided by one of the axially aligned openings; a cap removably secured to said valved opening; an elongated tube connected at one end of the other axially aligned opening; a bag connected to the free end of said tube for insertion within a conduit to be plugged; a tube connected by one end with, and extending, said branch opening and having coupling means carried by the free end thereof; a separate bodily reversible tube member having at both ends a coupling means adapted for alternate connection with the coupling means of the branch tube, the idle end being associated with a water supply; means inserted intermediately Within the reversible member to establish, upon the connection of the coupling means of the branch tube with the coupling means at one end of the reversible member, a one-way fluid passage therein to and within said bag and, upon bodily reversal of said member in its connection with said branch tube, a one-way fluid passage from said bag;

a one-way valve openable to the atmosphere upon pressure from within and provided by one of the axially aligned openings; a cap removably secured to said valved opening; an elongated tube connected at one end of the other axially aligned opening; a bag connected to the free end of said a tube connected by one end with, and extend- 1 ing, said branch opening and having coupling tube for insertion within a conduit to be plugged; 20

means carried by the free end thereof; a separate bodily reversible tube member having at both ends a coupling means adapted for alternate connection with the coupling means of the branch tube, the idle 'end being associated with a water supply; a compressible bulb inserted intermediately within the reversible tube member,

said bulb having at each end thereof a one-way I valve openable in one and the same direction to establish, upon the connection of the coupling "means of the branch tube with the coupling means at one end of the reversible member, a one-way fluid passage therein to and within said bag and; upon the bodily reversal of said memher in its connection with said branch tube, a

one-way fluid passage from said bag.

EDWARD T. AHERN. 

